Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) are very easy to set up and use, and have accordingly become very popular. WLANs connect computer networks via radio transmissions instead of traditional phone lines or cables. Benefits of these systems go well beyond getting rid of all the cables and wires. Campus networks can grow geographically larger while still retaining all their efficiency and speed. Additionally, cost savings can be realized when third-party circuit switched phone service are no longer needed, saving the cost of line rental and equipment upkeep. Finally, flexibility in campus network design increases significantly for the networking professional, while the network accessibility and usefulness increases for the individual users.
Wireless networks generally include multiple access points for wireless connectivity to multiple mobile stations. Such connectivity allows a mobile station to communicate with any number of types of devices within a network, for instance, a mainframe, a server, a networked printer, another mobile station, and the like. Mobile stations determine which network to join by scanning for available access points (AP). However, the scanning for available access points can cause a heavy load on the wireless medium.